Thursday, July 11, 2024

Inside The Rideau Chapel

 Here we are inside the Rideau Chapel, preserved inside the National Gallery of Canada. It really is a work of art, with exquisite architecture. The Forty Part Motet is a sound sculpture that is placed here, and entirely appropriate. Speakers are arranged around the room, and the voices of a choir resonate out of each of them. Stand near one, and you'll hear the individual voice directly, and stand in the middle, all of them fill the space. It's hard to describe, but yes, you can feel the music, as if you're in the midst of an invisible sculpture of sound. The music itself is choral and has a religious sensibility. The overall effect is profoundly peaceful and moving.

40 comments:

  1. I thought that I might not like a traditional Gothic chapel having a very untraditional ceiling. Being covered in every cm with decorative fan vaulting supported on slender cast iron columns might have started an epileptic into a spin. But once our eyes stabilised, the fan vaulting started to look elegant.

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    1. That ceiling is the only one of its kind in North America.

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  2. I'd like to spend some time there and get a spiritual sound treatment. Lovely William. Thank you

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  3. The chapel is beautiful! I love the ceiling. Take care, have a great day!

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  4. ...the ceiling is fabulous.

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  5. I would come visit for this alone. Love those fan arches in the ceiling.

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  6. Such a beautiful space, William.
    I heard that the artist Alex Janvier died yesterday and thought of you and all of the shots you have shown us of his ceiling in one of the museums. I can't remember which museum.

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    1. The Museum of History, Morning Star. Your comment this morning was how I found out. What a loss to the country and the world.

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  7. Beautiful chapel and a very cool sound system. You would feel as if you are with the singers.

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  8. Beautiful !

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  9. It looks like a really peaceful place, I do like the ceiling patterns, so much work must've gone into making those.

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  10. That is a wonderful looking chapel. I especially like the ceiling.

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  11. It looks so beautiful, your photographs show it well.

    All the best Jan

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  12. That is an amazing interior!

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